1Division of Pulmonary Medicine, University of Alberta, 2Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, 3Divisions of Critical Care and Cardiology, University of Alberta, 4Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, 5G.F. MacDonald Centre for Lung Health

1Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, 2Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, 3Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, The Ohio State University, 4Department of Human Sciences, Human Nutrition, The Ohio State University, 5Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania

High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the single most important determinant of intact survival in cardiac arrest, and it is critical that all healthcare workers are able to perform this lifesaving technique effectively. Despite the conceptual simplicity of CPR, the reality is that many providers perform it incorrectly, resulting in suboptimal survival outcomes for their patients. This video looks at the essential elements of high-quality CPR, discusses the physiologic basis for each step, and describes how to optimize them in order to enhance survival outcomes. Appropriate prioritization of interventions in cardiac arrest and methods for optimizing resuscitation performance are covered as well.…

The heart lies within the pericardium, a relatively inelastic fibrous sac. The pericardium has some compliance to stretch when fluid is slowly introduced into the pericardial space. However, rapid accumulation overwhelms pericardial ability to accommodate extra fluid. Once a critical volume is reached, intrapericardial pressure increases dramatically, compressing the right ventricle and eventually impeding the volume that enters the left ventricle. When these chambers cannot fill in diastole, stroke volume and cardiac output are diminished, leading to cardiac tamponade, a life-threatening compression of the cardiac chambers by a pericardial effusion. Unless the pressure is relieved by aspiration of pericardial fluid (pericardiocentesis), cardiac arrest is imminent.
Cardiac tamponadeis a critical emergency that can carry high morbidity and mortality. Patients may present in extremis, without much time to make the diagnosis and perform life-saving treatments. Causes of this condition are broken into traumatic and non-traumatic categories, with different treatment algorithms. Stab and gunshot wounds are the primary cause of traumatic tamponade, but it may occur from blunt trauma associated with…

1Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center, 2Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, University of Würzburg, 3Department of General, Visceral, Vascular and Paediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery I, University of Würzburg, 4Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Nephrology, University Hospital Würzburg, 5Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, West Virginia University School of Medicine

The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals ("The Guide") states that pain assessment and alleviation are integral components of the veterinary care of laboratory animals.1 The definition of anesthesia is the loss of feeling or sensation. It is a dynamic event involving changes in anesthetic depth with respect to an animal's metabolism, surgical stimulation, or variations in the external environment.…

1Cardiovascular Surgery, UBC James Hogg Research Center, St. Paul's Hospital, 2Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, UBC James Hogg Research Center, St. Paul's Hospital, 3UBC James Hogg Research Center, St. Paul's Hospital

High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation are the most important interventions for patients with cardiac arrest, and should be the first steps that rescuers perform. This is reflected in the American Heart Association's new "CAB" mnemonic. While rescuers were once taught the "ABCs" of cardiac arrest, they now learn "CAB" - circulation first, followed by airway and breathing. Only once CPR is underway (and defibrillation has been performed, if a defibrillator is available) do we consider providing respiratory support. This video will describe the correct technique for providing respiratory support to a patient in cardiac arrest, and how to continue basic life support over the period of time until help arrives.
This video assumes that all the steps described in "Basic Life Support Part I: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Defibrillation" have already been completed. This video does NOT depict the initial steps taken when arriving at the scene of a cardiac arrest.…

1Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Bonn, 2Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Bonn, 3Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 4Institute of Physiology 2, University of Bonn

1Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Unversity of Cambridge, 2Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, 3Behavioural and Clinical Neurosciences Institute, University of Cambridge